On Staying Happy

from the happy-new-year dept

A few weeks ago, we got an email sent to the feedback box that asked how we can possibly stay upbeat. I have to apologize because I can't find the email anymore -- so I don't remember who sent it -- but he pointed out that while he really enjoyed reading Techdirt and liked what we had to say, the stories about corporate cluelessness, political corruption and short-sighted thinking were so consistently frustrating and depressing that there were times he considered giving up on reading Techdirt -- if just to keep himself from banging his head against the wall. He wanted to know how we possibly stayed upbeat, and kept positive enough to avoid giving ourselves heart attacks. I didn't get a chance to email him back, but wanted to address the question here as my final post of 2008.

Techdirt has been going strong since 1997, so it's not like we're new to covering these sorts of things. But, in the end, I personally stay extremely happy and optimistic because I see how far we've come -- and I recognize the inevitable outcome of most of these debates. Yes, we point out plenty of bad stuff, but it's not about complaining about how terrible things are -- but about trying to help open some eyes to the possibilities of moving forward, adapting and embracing new technological possibilities. And, while there are some extremely loud and public holdouts, every day we're seeing examples of it working. We see the inevitable results of technological change in enabling new and powerful business models that greatly expand markets, provide consumers with much more than before, and enable new innovations that you might never have thought were possible before.

The internet is a phenomenal communications tool that very few people had even heard of not so long ago. The world wide web only came into being slightly more than fifteen years ago. The ability to go online and find just about anything you need in seconds is a brand new phenomenon. The fact that you can talk to people, easily, in far away places -- make new connections, share stories, exchange ideas, debate, argue and connect, well beyond your local community -- is all simply amazing. Beyond online communications, the internet has provided new and amazing tools for business, commerce, entertainment and information that were nearly impossible to imagine by all but the most visionary people just a few decades ago.

How can you not be optimistic and excited when you look back at how far we've come in such a short time, and think about how much further we can go?

Yes, we're in the midst of a brutal financial mess -- but that won't stop innovation. Yes, incumbent forces, with short-sighted plans and a desire to hold back the tides are annoying and disruptive (not in a good way) in the short run. But even they are finding they can't hold back progress. Robert Friedel has a wonderful book called A Culture of Improvement that details how we, as a society, are constantly looking to improve on what we already have. We add ideas and ingenuity to old concepts and build something better -- not because of the desire to grab some "intellectual property," but because of the desire to improve our own lot, to build a better tool that we want to use. Incumbent short-sighted players have been able to hinder and harm progress, but they can't keep it down completely. That culture of improvement can't be stopped entirely.

There is, of course, plenty to be vigilant about, of course. Bad and corrupt political moves can seriously stunt economic improvement, but history has shown that such periods are often short-lived, as the need for continued economic growth and advancement is impossible to stomp out completely -- and as it seeps out through the cracks, legacy businesses crumble, and outdated political rules and short-sighted policies are pushed to the side. Yes, more come along, often as the innovators of yesterday seek to stop the innovators of tomorrow, but the march of innovation hasn't been stopped yet.

So, yes, we rant and rage against short-sighted policies, and efforts that hinder and delay the inevitable, but we're excited and optimistic and happy about what we see as the eventual possibilities from that advancement and innovation. Any "anger" or "unhappiness" we might display is more frustration at ourselves for not being able to clearly paint a picture -- for those seeking to hold back progress -- of just what opportunities moving forward provides.

As we move into 2009, there are plenty of things to be worried about, but look around at what progress has brought to us already, and look at the trends and the obvious direction in which technology is taking us -- there's so much to look forward to, it's hard to let any depression seep into the discussion at all.

Happy New Year to all of the many readers of Techdirt, whether you agree with us or disagree with us, and we look forward to seeing what great new things come about in the new year and beyond.

Yep.

Today we freely use so-called military grade encryption, allowing e-commerce to flourish without the fear of crackers listening in on your transactions with a man-in-the-middle attack. This is because of the efforts of the EFF in the nineties.

I can remember posting on this site all but a few years ago asking that the music industry listen to us and provide a great way to purchase un-DRM'd music over the internet. Although it isn't lossless Amazon MP3 has yet to fail me in terms of hosting the music I want.

We've seen great progress in the area of web standards, alternate browsers and Microsoft's acceptance that it must change it's attitude towards the web (well, as best as to be expected I suppose).

In a few years I'm quite confident progress will be made on such issues as RIAA extortion lawsuits, the DMCA, software patents and possibly even justice will be done in the illegal wire-tapping situation.

Employ the Palin System of Happiness

1. Allow your kids to drop out of school, and
2. Get pregnant, and
3. Marry a guy who is a school dropout, and
4. Find him a high paying job doing work that the government website proclaims requires a diploma or GED, and
5. When the media inquires, claim he is taking "correspondence courses" and
6. Deny that his mother was just arrested on 6 felony charges by the state police, and
7. Claim that the police are simply retaliating for firing their boss, and
8. Deny that your son joined the military after dropping out of school, and
9. Using the same drugs that caused the arrest of .....

Well, you know the story, and Palin STILL is RADIATING HAPPINESS.

Question: Do ALL state government employees have to take drug tests, or only state troopers? What about Governors? Isn't it a bit illogical to be happy after so much tragedy:
1. Kids dropping out of school
2. Ending up pregnant
3. Drug use allegations
4. Who is going to babysit the new baby if the mom REALLY is going back to school this week as her mom claims, if one grandmother is in jail, another is the Governor already babysitting her OWN baby right beside her desk, and both fathers work in the oil fields hundreds of miles away?

I'd recommend praying about that at church by jumping up and down, hollering in some strange language, or even holding snakes and waving them around to show NO FEAR and LOTS OF JOY IN THE LORD.

Then interrupt all this will claims that Obama pals around with terrorists and is, in fact, a socialist, and everything will be all right. Pass me another Oxycontin pill, please, Sarah -- I mean mom.

Re: Employ the Palin System of Happiness

Mark you're such an idiot! you just listed all the things that many Americans deal with on a daily basis. You also just pointed out why Palin is a fantastic person to have represent the American people. She is a REAL person and not a pretender. Point out the human in everyone will you? Why not leave yourself back in 2008 as you're one of the people that hold back progress as an incumbant douche bag.

happiness

As a teacher of IP and international law, I often get the same questions from students. I usually respond something along the lines of "understanding what's going on around you reduces your victimhood and is an enjoyable activity in itself". Your posting will help to expand on that. Thanks, continue the good work, and Happy New Year to all.

Happy New Year - Keep up the great work, Michael

Good results happen from explaining the negative things occurring.
Sometime last year you wrote about the ridiculous proposed copyright law in fashion design. As a fashion designer and manufacturer for decades, I wrote a comment totally agreeing with you. Some from the Copyright Society saw it and asked me to be on a panel to talk about my position against it. I know I had influence and will be written up in one of the law journals. So... we'll kill the law.
And so, Michael, both your content on Techdirt and the Web as a great medium can achieve wonderful things - to change the negativity if we all know about it.
Thank you.

Great Job Mike and Techdirt Team

What a year we just when through. I like the idea of looking for good things to come despite the things that try to slow us down. I hope and trust that 2009 will be a great year. Happy New Year guys. Keep up the great work.

Thanks, Mike

Happier

Tal Ben-Shahar has a NYT bestseller "Happier" with the subtitle "lean the secrets to daily joy and lasting fulfillment", based on his very popular course at .. Harvard (?). Whether you are a "rat racer", "hedonist", or "nihilist" there's something in there for you.

Shining the light

Staying vigilant is part of the reason I enjoy this website. But there is a "Darwin Awards" appeal to it too; some of the stories that you shine a light on are downright funny. Like many of the Darwin award winners who try to ignore the laws of physics, the legislators and corporations you highlight here often try to ignore fundamental principles of economics.

Staying happy

I both agree and disagree - I agree we are making progress; we are recognizing the threats building, and generally responding to them, albeit slowly.
But I disagree that we continue to define "progress" as making human life better, without seeing the other side of the coin - limiting population growth!
If we succeed in stopping the terrible toll on human life around the globe WITHOUT being responsible enough to look for ways to balance this with less reproduction; our acts of kindness and humanity will be the ultimate cruelty!

Re: Staying happy

We can alway engineer plants to grow more foods. We will do it in space if we have to. Beside there is more energy that the sun give in an hour than what humanity use in an entire year.(Just a statement from the top of my head. Too lazy to confirm it)

The current crisis is not actually population explosion but rather our environmentally expensive lifestyle in first world countries.

But we can solve that too if we want... There is no limit to human ingenunity but there is a limit to wisdom.

Perhaps we are not wise enough to recognize it and instead die a quick extinction in the not-so near future.

Re: Staying happy

Give me a friggin' break! Population control?? Massive areas of the world are currently in population decline and many others are approaching it.

The countries that have implemented population control are now finding themselves without a sufficient labor force to support basic production. Japan is actually having to pay women to encourage them to have children.

The so-called issues of overpopulation are the result of greed and poorly managed global distribution. Overpopulation will be tomorrow's big international joke.

New Year's Resolution(s)

Just a few thoughts that quickly come to mind concerning techdirt and 2009:

1. Despite what appears to be an almost insurmountable hurdle, to secure a concession from techdirt (no matter how grudingly given) that there really are inventions that are not obvious.

2. To help techdirt understand that so-called "Patent Reform" actually does virtually nothing to address most, if not all, of the problems associated with the current system of laws.

3. To facilitate discussions, help techdirt understand that "monopoly" as it uses the term is not coextensive with the term "monopoly" as used within our legal system.

4. To better demonstrate that the elimination of patent and copyright law may very well result in a system giving meaning to the maxim "Be careful what you ask for because you just might get it...and not be a 'happy camper' as a result."

5. To convince techdirt that I do happen to agree with many of its positions, but that even "rivalrous" goods can be used in a manner far worse than patents and copyright to significantly hinder "innovation" as that term is used at techdirt.

6. To better explain to readers why it is that sites like TBP hurt, not help, their cause.

Like I said above, these are just a few thoughts that readily come to mind. Perhaps readers have others as well.

Re: New Year's Resolution(s)

1. Despite what appears to be an almost insurmountable hurdle, to secure a concession from techdirt (no matter how grudingly given) that there really are inventions that are not obvious.

Have I *ever* claimed otherwise? There are plenty of inventions that are not obvious.

2. To help techdirt understand that so-called "Patent Reform" actually does virtually nothing to address most, if not all, of the problems associated with the current system of laws.

Uh, we're against the current patent reform bills that have been proposed and agree that it would do nothing to fix the problems of the current system.

You do read the site, right?

3. To facilitate discussions, help techdirt understand that "monopoly" as it uses the term is not coextensive with the term "monopoly" as used within our legal system.

We use the term monopoly properly and accurately. If the legal system uses it improperly, that's not our problem.

4. To better demonstrate that the elimination of patent and copyright law may very well result in a system giving meaning to the maxim "Be careful what you ask for because you just might get it...and not be a 'happy camper' as a result."

First of all, I'm not for the elimination of patent and copyright law. I'm for increasing innovation and free speech. If you could show me how either the patent system or copyright system helped instead of hindered both of those things, then that would be great. To date, I have seen no convincing evidence of that. That doesn't mean that I think suddenly getting rid of both makes sense and I've never said so.

Again, you seem to misinterpret what we have said.

5. To convince techdirt that I do happen to agree with many of its positions, but that even "rivalrous" goods can be used in a manner far worse than patents and copyright to significantly hinder "innovation" as that term is used at techdirt.

Um... ok.

6. To better explain to readers why it is that sites like TBP hurt, not help, their cause.

Again, I think we agree here. I have said in the past that I think TPB makes a mistake in playing up the "piracy" element, because that focuses the debate on the wrong issue. So I don't disagree.

Where I *do* disagree is in your obviously incorrect assertion that TPB is simply a den of immoral children that has no redeeming value *and* that it should be liable for any infringement done by its users.

Your inability to understand the separation of a service provider and its users is hard for me to understand.

Re: Re: New Year's Resolution(s)

There are plenty of inventions that are not obvious.

Excellent. I can cross the first off the list, though I am curious if there is one invention in particular that is deemed non-obvious. Please note I did not say "deserving of a patent", but merely that it is "non-obvious".

We use the term monopoly properly and accurately. If the legal system uses it improperly, that's not our problem.

Have never said techdirt's use of the term is inaccurate, but only that within the law the term has a different meaning.

Where I *do* disagree is in your obviously incorrect assertion that TPB is simply a den of immoral children that has no redeeming value *and* that it should be liable for any infringement done by its users.

Your inability to understand the separation of a service provider and its users is hard for me to understand.

The distinction between a service provider and how end users utilize the services is well understood. Certainly TPB is not the one misusing the services, but the perception by many that it encourages users to misuse the services only serves to make content providers more determined than ever to rail against P2P at every opportunity. P2P needs a better "poster child" to carry the banner.

Re: Re: Re: New Year's Resolution(s)

I wonder if Mike is afraid to take a hardliner position on copyright and patent laws.

My position is pretty straightforward: I want whatever is best for society, and I keep an open mind. If someone can show evidence that such a system can make things better off, rather than worse off, I'm open to it.

Why commit to a position if someone eventually can present evidence that altneratives make sense?

In the meantime, given existing evidence, I think it makes tremendous sense to move in the direction of getting rid of both patent and copyright laws -- though, not immediately. Flat out getting rid of them would cause a pretty huge upheaval that wouldn't help anyone -- not to mention the fact that it would be violating a "deal" signed between people and the government (even if the gov't has violated that deal on copyright with extension).

Instead, I think the short-term focus should be on moving *towards* getting rid of these abuses, and to continue exploring what impact that has. If, as I expect, the impact is positive, then we should continue rolling back patents and copyright.

Re: Re: Re: Re: New Year's Resolution(s)

There are many studies concerning the benefits/detriments of patent systems. The problem I have always had with those referenced by this site is that they seem geared to declaring a "rule" of universal applicability, a task that I do not believe is possible because of the almost infinite number of variables.

Importantly, I am not a patent apologist who believes our economic success as a nation is in substantial measure due to the patent system. Sometimes they are quite helpful. Sometimes just the opposite is true. The most I can honestly say when asked whether or not patents are beneficial is "...it depends."

People get depressed reading Techdirt? Really? So they are fine watching the news that talks about a guy walking into a Christmas party and offing 8 people, the news about the battles going on in Gaza, the news of genocide in Sudan (or multiple other places) or the wars that are being fought.

If Techdirt depresses you, you either need to get perspective or you are really in trouble.

And Mark Regan, the election is over, how about thinking about the future instead of the past.

Re:

"So they are fine watching the news that talks about a guy walking into a Christmas party and offing 8 people, the news about the battles going on in Gaza, the news of genocide in Sudan (or multiple other places) or the wars that are being fought."

Happy New Year

So I was travelling through the interwebs the other day and came across an article that mentioned moods have the ability to spread through social groups like a contagious virus. But before you dismiss this as another over-funded project of the "College of The Blindingly Obvious" located in California, the story does carry an interesting perspective on the way moods can be passed from person to person like "ripples from a pebble thrown in a pond". Now, I'm only guessing, but I suppose a number of people who frequent TechDirt have some sort of sense of ironic, dry, deadpan humor. Sure, some of the articles can have the ability to be relatively un-nerving if you think it's being spoken by Ben Stein, but personally, I tend to think Mike's delivery to be more of a Billy Mays. I'm just pleased that Mike and his group are here to shine their happy, positive, and somewhat dry charm in their articles.

TechDirt = Progress. Always has & always will.

I never thought TechDirt was anything but progress, and to imagine it as too bedgruding of the infantile antics of a growing internet 'thing' misses the point. We, the Internet, are only Fifteen. The Internet is still a Teenager, and though TechDirt may whine like a youthful teenager at all things around it, it's a highly intelligent introspection evolved to a savvy group.
So, keep it up, and pardon the pun, teenagers rarely have problems keeping up.

greta article

As always something to think about from someone at Techdirt.
The more I read on this site the more I realize that some people in this world still have a mind of their own. Most people have turned into the creatures from a game a long time ago about "Lemmings". They all follow the leader in a ring around the rosie no matter what they say(ie Rush Limbaugh, everyone in government,News casts, etc...) Everyone needs to start thinking for themselves and seeing all sides to issues and equations before making up their mind. Heres to more from Mike and everyone at Techdirt and to those of us out there that are also trying to teach/inform/educate or fellow humans to try and get them to join us in climbing out of the primordal ooze. A lot of commen sense would help and if everyone can not get on the band wagon in the crisis we are facing now it will be up to those of us that can run the bloodless revolution to make things right to drag them a long behind us kicking and screaming like the little children they are for their own good and ours.

Great Site!!

I've been reading Techdirt for years and still love it. I love the way you guys instill humor by sharing your opinions. Journalism is an art that seems to be lost by many. Sure the facts are important, but reporting the facts without taking a personal position makes for a boring story. I say leave the facts and boring stories to the AP. Real journalists put a piece of themselves in the article. Good job!!

How is depressed and pessimistic BETTER than positive?

About This Article.

very nice article, and so true in so many forms.. the bottom line is Progress its Simply that, progress, getting forward, unstoppable so at least we don't have to worry too much the bad times fade every day we just need to keep optimistic.

on staying happy

I used to be optimistic that humanity, as a whole, was getter smarter with every generation and one day we might see world peace, seamless technology and major steps towards the ideals written in sci-fi books and movies.

I've been working in IT for 25 years now. I've seen history repeat itself, the same mistakes made over and over, people behaving like barbarians over trivial events or things and generally a downward trend in humanity.

Computers get faster, but applications bring them back down to the same speed of functionality.
We have many more devices and abilities to communicate, but very few share the same medium or format so we have to use multiple devices to communicate simple messages and so much gets lost in translation.

Computers were centralized(mainframe), then distributed(PCs), back to centralized (Citrix, VMWare) and heading back towards distributed (cloud) yet are they saving us work or just creating more work to keep the same basic functions operational?

Automobiles have supposedly improved technologically, yet we're still reliant on fossil fuels, more than ever, and harming our planet at every point that involves a vehicle.

Doctors used to be trusted individuals of a trusted organization intent on helping people, but now it's all about insurance and trying to solve every ailment with a pill regardless of potential side effects.

The food in the U.S. is the least healthiest in the world. Only in the U.S. does bread and fruit contain chemicals that are bad for you.

The legal system has completely forgotten its purpose: to protect people. Instead it's all about making money and helping undeserving people get what they want.

In general people have simply turned into rabid collectors of information and things. Work and society is so fast-paced that if you can't get it now, then it's worthless by the time you do get it. In the process people are so selfish at getting it now, they'll stomp all over others or cause uproar in getting it.

People are forgetting how to be people. We're consumers, collectors and technology abusers.

I've lost so much hope for humanity, I'm beginning to think all those predictions of the world ending in 2012 may come to fruition.

"On Staying Happy" - Thanks I needed that!

As an experienced geek who has been laid off twice in the last six months, I have had plenty of time to sit at home, watch the depressing news, and feel sorry for myself. Then comes along this posting.

While it is true there is a lot of bad stuff going on right now, and it is also true that technology is bringing that bad news to us at ever increasing speeds, your posting also shows that given the changes in technology, we may be able to tackle those problems faster than before.

In my attempts to find work, I am using and learning new technologies every day, and while it's a Hell of a rough road right now, your posting has helped put things in a better light for me.